TrueCorset Blog

The corset has always had a dark edge in popular culture. It could be the gothic heroine facing a monster in the shadows or the decadent burlesque star performing on a dimly lit stage. It’s dangerous, feminine and sensual. There is something about the corset that matches with the tone and atmosphere of a very grown-up Halloween.

For vintage lovers, Halloween is also a time to let their corset outside of their lingerie drawer. This is a night when underwear becomes outerwear and you can show off your favorite vintage-inspired finds while turning heads for the right reasons.

If you feel like getting laced in as you dress up this Halloween there are plenty of options to explore. From steampunk to supervillains we have corset inspiration to suit your style this spooky season.

Check out 5 of our favourite corsets and corset outfits for Halloween below.

This Victoriana inspired corset is perfect for women who want to add some historical drama to their Halloween outfit. Created in black brocade with leather and industrial brass detailing it makes the perfect centerpiece for a Steampunk costume or a military inspired outfit. Steel boning ensures you achieve a distinctive hourglass shape. Team it with a leather skirt, frothy white shirt and long black boots for a Halloween look with serious impact.

Unlock your inner sci-fi goddess with this cool as ice, blue and black corset. This outfit set comes complete with bolero, skirt, and belt meaning you have your Halloween look set in just a couple of clicks. This sexy Halloween look will show off your curves while letting you indulge your inner geek. Wear it for Halloween, Cosplay and just because.

Villains always have more fun and this Joker inspired green corset will certainly have you smiling this Halloween. This set includes a purple bolero and skirt, meaning all you need to add is menacing make-up and your spookiest grin. This beautiful corset is gorgeous enough to wear long after the scares have stopped and its steel boning and lace-up back will provide you with a perfectly proportioned figure.

This striped underbust corset will add an immediate shot of glamour to any Halloween outfit. The black and white stripes make it a great addition to your escaped prisoner look but it also looks perfect as a pirate or sailor costume. Use your imagination and have fun with this versatile corset. Cotton twill makes this design breathable and comfortable.

Sometimes black is the only way to go at Halloween and this amazing full hips corset is the perfect base for your witch, cat or dark angel costume. The over-waist design provides an emphasized hourglass shape that is more defined than a traditional corset by creating volume around the hips. The sweeping neckline and duchess satin fabric add even more decadence to this stunning corset.

Who will you be this Halloween? Discover your perfect look at True Corset.

Recently, the Miss Teen USA pageant has been in the news for removing the swimsuit segment of its competition. This makes sense – seeing as the pageant is put on in order to award scholarship money to prospective students, and is for girls aged 14-19!

The swimsuit round of beauty pageants has been an intrinsic element of each event since their inception almost one hundred years ago in 1921, when the first Miss America pageant was held and advertised as a ‘bathers revue.’

The Miss America contest has always been upheld as a celebration of female empowerment and sisterhood, which seems baffling today when women are more likely to feel empowered by education and progressive values than what they look like in a garter belt. During the 1950’s however, pageants and the “Miss…” title were used to advertise products and concepts from National Hot Dog Week to the atomic bomb.

Atomic bomb, you might exclaim! I promise I’m not making this up. Nevada was keen to emphasise its modernity and advances in the nuclear arena during the 1950’s, and so Miss Atomic Bomb was born – combining two of the state’s calling cards – nuclear bombs and showgirls - because what doesn’t say “take a trip to Vegas” like atomic warfare and scantily clad females?!

There were countless seemingly bizarre efforts to cash in on the ‘sex sells’ bonanza; such as the 1954 Miss Magic Marker pageant, 1968’s celebration of librarians – Miss Archive, 1935’s illustrious Miss Idaho Potato, the West Side Fur Company’s 1960 Mink Queen contest and Miss National Catfish Queen of 1954.

All of these pageants had the same basic attributes in common – young female hopefuls, some thinly disguised product placement, and a heavy focus on strutting the stage in little more than underwear.

Zion Meat Company’s infamous Sausage Queen pageant in 1955 was held to celebrate National Hot Dog Week. Geene Courtney won the contest, and had the honour of being strung with raw sausages arranged artfully around her girdle. In a similar vein was the 1952 Frankfurter Queen – sponsored by the Hebrew National!

Occasionally pageants aimed to further an idea or promote a concept, as opposed to simply marketing sausages or fur pelts. Miss Psywar was one such pageant. Psywar, or psychological warfare, was not a new concept. The wartime efforts of the 1940’s needed not only covert psy-ops in order to beleaguer enemies, but also some good old fashioned morale boosting for the folks at home. So, the Miss Psywar pageant was born. Not much is known about it, besides the fact that it took place in Washington state in the 1940’s, and the little that can be gleaned from the surviving photographs – showing young women in in bullet bra style swimsuits, standing around horn loudspeakers!

And it wasn’t just the shady world of psychological warfare that had its own beauty contest – the NSA even had a pageant which ran in the 1950’s and early 1960’s – perhaps the National Security Agency is not all about brains, as evidenced in this photo below, showing smiling women in corseted dresses! Again, very little is known about this pageant – besides the fact that contestants represented numbers as opposed to states – and that it was held annually. It seems the NSA is not keen to share many more details of its dark history!

And for our final foray into the world of downright strange beauty pageants of the past, I’ll leave you with this photograph showing a young girl posing in knickers with a bag over her head – which at first glance looks rather questionable, but is actually a shot from the 1930’s Miss Lovely Eyes pageant!

If I told you that you wouldn't get the body back that you had before pregnancy then you'd probably want to stop reading immediately. The thing is, in most cases a mother's body does change. You might well go back to your original dress size but you may go up a bra size or two, your shape might change and in many cases, it is a welcome change. You may find that you are ultimately curvier, sexier, stronger and more comfortable in your own skin.

There are a few things to consider when it comes to shaping up after the birth of a baby:

Give yourself time

After nine months of pregnancy - which can seriously deplete a women's nutrition and energy stores and giving birth which uses the same amount of energy as running a marathon - the last thing you want to do after having a baby is think about dieting and exercise. If you gave birth naturally then it is important to give your body time to heal, if you had a c-section then you'll need to rest properly for at least six weeks. It is easy to forget that a caesarian is classed as major surgery. It's not easy to rest properly when you have a newborn to look after, so take it easy on yourself and take the pressure off. It realistically takes a woman a whole year before her body is back to normal. It takes a good month for your womb to shrink back, and your abdominal muscles will need some nurturing too. In fact, pregnancy puts strain on the muscles in your back and puts a strain on your spine. It is worth giving yourself some breathing time before even thinking about exercising. Pregnancy hormones also cause ligaments to soften, which is great for opening the pelvis but can mean that it is worth avoiding any heavy lifting and strenuous activity for a good few weeks after the birth.

Be realistic

There is too much pressure on women to lose weight quickly after having birth. This is healthy both physically and mentally. Rather than feeling the pressure to lose weight, take the time you need, listen to your body and do your bit for the sisterhood by not succumbing to pressure. We all know that losing weight quickly is not healthy and often doesn't leave lasting results. If you are breastfeeding then your uterus will contract back quickly and you will also burn plenty of extra calories. Even if you are not breastfeeding, the energy it takes to look after a newborn will keep you burning calories. Rather than setting yourself unrealistic goals or aiming for an ideal weight, why not ensure you get outside in the fresh air each day and take baby for a lovely stroll (in the buggy or in a sling), why not cut out sugar and fill your plate with nutritious fruit and vegetables instead. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential in the early days and will give you all the energy you need to take care of your little one.

Be grateful for the body you have

Having a newborn is an incredible experience. You'll want to savour every moment, rather than feeling guilty about not eating properly or not exercising enough. Rather than hating your body, be grateful to it. That amazing body of yours created your beautiful baby. Besides, your little one will be much more comfortable cuddling up to a squishy tummy than rock hard abs. Whenever you look in the mirror, gently remind yourself that you are looking at the body that housed your incredible baby for 9 months. Who cares if you are a little out of shape? There will be plenty of time to shape up in the future.

Treat your body with respect

All this positive body talk is about being thankful to your body and not putting impossible pressure on it. It doesn't mean you can give yourself an excuse to pig out and sit around all day. After what feels like an eternity of sleepless nights then the odd comforting bowl of ice-cream at midnight or a snatched chocolate bar will help you to feel human again. However, it is important to stay active and eat a balanced diet. Respecting your body is all about taking the time to rest and heal, but also feeding your body with the nutrients it needs as well as staying active.

It's time to shift your body image

Being a good mum isn't about being skinny and beautiful. Your beauty will shine through in the love you had for your children. Your children will remember the time you spent with them, they'll be much happier with an attentive mum who plays with them than a mum who is constantly distracted by her own figure.

Consider dressing differently

Even the most positive of us have emotional wobbles sometimes. If you are feeling sensitive or need a little armour to help you through a social situation, then consider how you dress. Your pre-pregnancy wardrobe might be completely wrong for you now. Not only because your figure may have changed, but also because running around after children means your wardrobe will have different requirements. If you are still a little conscious of your post-baby bump, then opt for dresses that nip in at the ribcage and skim the hips. Corsets are brilliant for nights out and a wonderful way to show off your sexy new curves while keeping everything in. Breastfeeding mums might like to opt for under bust styles, whereas full corsets are perfect for a little more coverage. The structure of a corset will improve your posture, boosts your confidence and is the perfect way to give you a smooth silhouette.

Aim for a healthy, strong body

The more we obsess over our weight and looks, the more likely we are to raise children who do the same. Next time you find yourself moaning about your weight, think about the message you are giving your children. Even if they are too young to understand, it makes sense to get out of the habit of talking yourself down so you can become the positive role model that they need you to be. Focus on getting strong and healthy, rather than Hollywood thin. Once you've had chance to rest and recover from pregnancy and birth, you might like to throw in some exercises. Using a gym ball to support your lower back is a good idea in the early days, and will give you additional support when you do abdominal exercises such as crunches and sit-ups. You could even break out your old birthing ball if you used one. Many women like to use a waist trainer when they exercise, it is thought that these specially designed exercise corsets increase the amount of perspiration created during exercise. These corsets are ideal for shifting baby weight as they focus on the abdominal area which is often where most women are self-conscious. With a new baby, you won't have the time or energy to do long workouts, so focus instead of short bursts of activity. Planks are a brilliant exercise that engages the whole body. You can plank next to your baby while they enjoy some tummy time, or even lie them on their back and lean in for a kiss as you perform some push ups. They are lots of inventive ways to bond with your baby while you exercise.

Find other ways to boost self-esteem

If you are struggling to get used to your new body and need a little self-esteem boost then give yourself permission to do something special. Get a new haircut in a luxurious salon, the time to yourself is as valuable as the new do. Post-partum hair loss may have made your hair thinner, you might even want to choose something that doesn't take too much styling. Have a makeover and buy some new makeup. Again, you might need to change your beauty routine around now that you get so little time in the mornings. You could also buy a few new clothes. Looking through a wardrobe of clothes in your previous size will make anyone feel depressed. The best thing you can do is pack away your smaller clothes and buy some clothes that fit you now and make you feel fantastic. Dressing for your new figure will help to take the pressure off while you slowly build your new healthy, strong body.

Above all, treat your body like a temple. Reward it for the wonderful baby it gave you. There is too much body hatred around. Your body is beautiful and it is time you treated it that way.

Throughout history, the image of the damsel in distress has saturated the silver screen. A morbid fascination with the deaths of beautiful, untouchable people has been featured in movies, the media and fiction ever since these vehicles for story began. Researchers have long speculated on what it is that makes stories such as the murder of a beautiful young woman so compelling, and have surmised that it revolves around playing on the basic fears of society – that if our cherished and virginal young women aren’t safe, then what hope is there for the rest of us?

A certain kind of macabre infamy has long surrounded the deaths, murders and suicides of beautiful young women in Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe’s death is a perfect example of this – even to this day rumour and speculation swirls around her apparent suicide, with many steadfast in their belief that her death had a more sinister cause – linked to Presidents, shady doings and mob bosses.

There is an element of drama and intrigue attached to Old Hollywood, and this intertwines with the stories of tragedy and despair which have become almost mythical in their retelling. One such story is that of Peg Entwistle, a successful stage actress originally from Wales. Peg had achieved a great deal of favourable recognition acting in Broadway productions – in fact, seeing Peg perform in Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck inspired Bette Davis to take up acting.

It was 1932, and Peg was 24 years old. At the height of the Great Depression, she went to Los Angeles to perform in a play called The Mad Hopes, which ran for a week at the Belasco Theatre. After this, she found her only credited film role – in Thirteen Women.

About a month before Thirteen Women was released, on the 18th September 1932, Peg climbed to the top of a 14m tall ‘H’ – the first letter of the Hollywood sign - and threw herself off, into the ravine below. A woman walking in the area found her jacket, bag and a shoe, and looking inside the bag found a suicide note that read - "I am afraid, I am a coward. I am sorry for everything. If I had done this a long time ago, it would have saved a lot of pain. P.E.”

The suicide caused a sensationalised media reaction – due to Peg’s youth, beauty, and promise as an actress. The Hollywood sign at the time did not hold the same resonance as it does today – being an advertising ploy for a local real estate development called Hollywoodland. It had been built in 1923 and left there, although the ‘land’ at the end of the sign has since been removed. In recent years, Peg’s ghostly apparition has allegedly been spotted, a musical was produced in the UK about her life, and outdoor screenings of Thirteen Women have raised funds for suicide prevention charities.

Another suicide – this time further afield than Hollywood – has gone down in history, mostly due to the famous photograph captured at the time. Evelyn McHale was a young bookkeeper who lived in New York and had recently become engaged. When she was 23, she travelled to Rhodes, Pennsylvania to visit her fiancé, who saw no sign of distress or anything to indicate what she was about to do.

Evelyn travelled back to New York the next day, and jumped from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. A suicide note was found in the pocket of her coat, left neatly folded in the observatory. It read, “I don’t want anyone in or out of my family to see any part of me. Could you destroy my body by cremation? I beg of you and my family – don’t have any service for me or remembrance for me. My fiancé asked me to marry him in June. I don’t think I would make a good wife for anybody. He is much better off without me. Tell my father, I have too many of my mother’s tendencies.”

A photography student, Robert Wiles, happened to be passing minutes after her death, and snapped the now legendary photograph of her lying like a tragic sleeping beauty on the crushed wreckage of a car. Andy Warhol dubbed her “the most beautiful suicide,” and used the photo for one of his prints – Suicide (Fallen Body).

Deaths with a twist of fate also pique the imagination – and none has quite such a dash of fateful decision making as the death of actress Carole Lombard. When the US stepped into the WWII arena in 1941, Carole Lombard, then 33, arranged a war bond rally in her native state of Indiana. She travelled with her mother, Bess Peters, and Otto Winkler – the press agent for Clark Gable. After a successful rally, the three were due to travel back to Los Angeles by train, but Carole wanted to speed the process up and suggested they fly. Both her mother and Otto were afraid of flying, and both protested, keen to stick to the original plan.

Carole was adamant, and so they tossed a coin. Carole won the toss, the party of three flew, and their plane crashed into a peak of Potosi Mountain. All 22 on board were killed instantly.

No story about infamous deaths of beautiful young women would be complete without a mention of Los Angeles’ most renowned unsolved murder – that of the Black Dahlia. There have been books, movies, crackpot tales, conspiracy theorists, armchair investigators, TV show tributes and many a grisly LA ghost tour.

The Black Dahlia – or Elizabeth Short - was an aspiring actress trying to make it big in LA in the 1940’s. Her brutal murder shocked the city, and the publicity furore after her death took up column inches indefinitely. In fact, you can still find endless articles about her.

In January 1947, her body was found naked, mutilated and half decapitated on a vacant lot. Her face had been carved into an eerie, monstrous leer and her body had been posed with her hands behind her head. The local woman who discovered the body thought at first that it was a store mannequin.

The case was hugely sensationalised in the media, and as much mileage as possible given to anything that made it appear scandalous. Elizabeth had been wearing a black tailored suit when she was last seen, which the newspapers changed to a “tight skirt and sheer blouse.” She was described as “an adventuress” who “prowled Hollywood Boulevard.” Several newspapers posited that she was a prostitute, claims vehemently denied by her friends and family.

Perhaps the most shocking element of the media coverage was the lengths that Hearst newspaper The Los Angeles Examiner went to in order to obtain a ‘scoop.’ Reporters called Elizabeth’s mother, Phoebe Short, and told her that Elizabeth had won a beauty pageant. They fished for as much information about her daughter as they could, before they abruptly informed her that actually, her daughter had been murdered. Not stopping there, they then offered to pay for her flights and accommodation to bring her to LA to help with the police investigation. They flew her to LA, but kept her secreted away, far from the police, in order to protect their scoop from other media outlets.

Over the course of time, approximately 60 people have confessed to Elizabeth Short’s murder. So little is known about her that she has become an iconic victim – speculation about her runs riot, and yet she still remains an elusive, tragic figure. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the story and the ongoing fascination that surrounds it, is that unlike similar unsolved murder cases – take Jack the Ripper as an example - the Black Dahlia ‘nickname’ alludes to the victim, as opposed to the perpetrator. Although a large portion of the continuing mystery is due to the fact that the murder hasn’t been solved, there is as much mystery derived from the enigmatic victim herself.

In the late 1980’s, Bettie Page was nearing seventy and living in a group home just outside Los Angeles. Sitting around the TV with her fellow septuagenarian residents, she suddenly saw her younger self on the screen, in the midst of being featured on Entertainment Tonight.

For anyone with even a mild interest in 1950’s Hollywood, alternative retro culture or pin ups of yesteryear, Bettie Page is a household name. For Bettie herself however, her ongoing infamy was a total revelation.

Bettie Page is the antithesis of most 1950’s glamour icons. Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Kim Novak, Sophia Loren and others tapped into their sexuality to create a brand image for themselves, but no one was quite so forthright about it as Bettie.

Full frontal nudity was considered taboo in the post WWII 50’s, yet Bettie was a proponent of embracing sexuality and your body – treating both as something to be celebrated as opposed to something to hide away or repress. She is perhaps best known for her fetish and bondage inspired photo shoots, considered scandalous at the time, but the kind of imagery we see in anything from music videos to advertising billboards these days.

Bettie Mae Page was born in 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee. She married her first husband when she was 20, and they moved to San Francisco together. They divorced four years later, and Bettie moved to New York, determined to become an actress. Pin up modelling was something to bring in some cash, as it was for Monroe and many more before and after Bettie. She was discovered by a policeman called Jerry Tibbs, who was a photographer on the side, and was also the one that told her that her forehead was too high, and encouraged her to have bangs (a fringe to the English) cut in, to hide it. Her bangs formed part of her trademark look, a look which is still emulated today.

Bettie appeared in one of the first pin up calendars, posed for iconic photographers such as Irving Klaw and Bunny Yeager, and was one of the first Playboy centerfolds – Miss January 1955. She made most of the lingerie and costumes for her shoots herself, including now-famed outfits such as the leopard pattern ‘jungle girl’ costume immortalised in Yeager’s 1954 Jungle Bettie shoot, at the Africa USA park in Florida.

She was well known for the innovative and eye catching costumes that she designed for herself – anything from bullet bras to suspender belts.

Bettie is often associated with S&M poses, but by her own admission, Irving Klaw’s work is the only example of any fetishist photography. She often posed nude, but never in sexually explicit content. Despite this, Bettie was implicated during the Kefauver hearings, set up by Senator Estes Kefauver that targeted indecent publications and pornography.

In 1959, Bettie disappeared from the limelight altogether. Her departure from modelling was so sudden that it led many to believe that she was dead. Even researching her now, with the entirety of the Internet at your fingertips, it is a hard slog to find definitive facts, dates and corroborations. Even Dita von Teese is quoted as saying, “Now you know everything about a celebrity, but Bettie, you know nothing about.” She is truly enigmatic.

We do know that in 1959, she converted to born again Christianity. She was determined to become a missionary in Africa, but the fact that she had been divorced twice meant that she was rejected. There is no record as to whether the church decided that the fact that she had posed naked with bullwhips was also a deciding factor!

She married again for a third time, but this marriage also disintegrated and ended in divorce. It was around this time that Bettie reported hearing voices. She reportedly stabbed her landlady 20 times, explaining that “God made her do it.” According to other reports, this was not the first time that she had stabbed someone. After stabbing her landlady, she was diagnosed with acute schizophrenia and spent 20 months in Patton State Hospital in California. After her release, she was arrested for assault after attacking another landlord, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. She spent eight years living in a group home under state supervision, which was where she saw herself on television on Entertainment Tonight.

Bettie’s iconic status and unsurpassed career were marred by the fact that she was rarely rewarded for her hard work. She recalls once going to a photo shoot where the photographer encouraged her to bring all of the bikinis, costumes and lingerie she had made. He shot her in them and then used the photos to replicate the designs, selling them as Bettie Page Bikinis. He never offered her a cent, and remarkably, she never sued him. After she left modelling, she was penniless, and this continued until she was rediscovered in the 1990’s.

Incidentally, it was Hugh Hefner who realised at a dinner at the Playboy Mansion in 1993, to which she had been invited, that she wasn’t being represented by an agent and had no control over the rights to her image or brand. He organised representation for her, and saw that she received royalties.

Mark Mori, an esteemed documentary maker living in LA, began interviewing her in the late 1990’s. He kept the tapes for a few years, before eventually making a documentary in 2007, a year before Bettie’s death of a heart attack.

He says of her everlasting appeal as an icon for women to this day, "It has to do with not fitting into the dominant culture idea of what's good or sexy. I'm not a supermodel. I'm not Barbie. Whatever ideal it is that they are supposed to fit into. Whatever it is about Bettie, Bettie is the one they latch onto that allows them to feel comfortable in their own sexuality."

Here at True Corset we are rather fond of Manchester. Not only because it has an alternative scene that embraces all forms of sexuality and celebrates individuality. It was also once the home of our very beloved shop. Any visitor to Affleck's Palace will understand how exciting it was to have a shop there. We were lucky to take the place that was once occupied by the renowned Vintage to Fetish and we had an absolute ball.

Affleck's Palace is home to some wonderfully eclectic stalls

Affleck's Palace was founded in 1981 by James and Elaine Walsh, for over three decades this beautifully eclectic maze of eccentric produce has simply flourished. Often compared to London's Camden, this indoor market is a must visit destination for anyone with a love of alternative, vintage, fetish, gothic or cosplay fashion. World renowned labels such as Red or Dead and Pop Boutique started out at Affleck's and this devotion to fresh ideas and creativity is still as strong as ever. The exterior of the market is adorned with mosaics of famous Mancunian faces from football players to musicians and Coronation Street regulars.

The renowned Affleck's Palace mosaics

Affleck's Palace is a wonderful place to work and our products fitted in beautifully. Affleck's Palace is brimming with alternative wear from unique club clothing in shades of neon to quality fetish fashion that is hard to find elsewhere, new designers exhibit their latest clothing lines and fresh outlets offer a host of interesting and often bespoke vintage items. From surf chic to burlesque there is something for everyone, as long as you love to express yourself through your unique sense of style. Accessories, henna tattoos and piercings are all available and the choice is breathtaking. It's not just clothing though, you can pick up vinyl records, wall art and even grab a bite to eat. Just don't expect anything you come across to be ordinary or conventional.

Affleck's Palace is a sort of independent department store offering the most eclectic and at times, rather macabre shopping options. It's great for quirky gifts and for finding things to inject a little intrigue into your wardrobe. Aside from all that it is also just a really vibrant and intriguing place to hang out, mooch about, get inspired and maybe even discover some like-minded people.

You'll find some beautiful alternative types just hanging out there

It's a fantastic place to find fetish wear too

We loved having a store there, especially as we got to meet so many fascinating customers. It is wonderful to see how different people interpret a corset. A simple black satin corset could be worn with an elegant skirt for a dinner date or teamed with sheer suspenders for a naughty night in, it could be dressed up for a sexy cosplay look or paired with a jaunty top hat for steampunk attire. Actually getting to converse with our customers and uncover their creativity was a real gift and is something we miss now that we are online, which is why we are always keen to deal with customer enquiries nowadays.

Strawberry Peach was another well-known corset shop that was there while we were and we often shared the same customers. Every corset outlet has their own unique style and so we would often find customers drifting across to us when a certain slinky number caught their eye.

People come from far and wide to customize their homes and their wardrobes with wares found at Affleck's. It's situated in the Northern Quarter of Manchester where there are also a cluster of delightful cafés that offer homemade cake. The Northern Quarter is brimming with creativity and personality. People who work in music, design and art often frequent the area. As well as Affleck's Palace it is also the home of some sensational curry houses, a plethora of vintage shops and a great many vinyl stores. If you haven't been before, it is worth spending some serious time in Manchester's Northern Quarter (and likely some serious money). If you like your shops independent and full of charm, then you will fall in love with the Northern Quarter, specifically Affleck's Palace.

The Northern Quarter is brimming with art and creativity

As well as quirky shops in the same vein as True Corset, Strawberry Peach and Vintage to Fetish the Northern Quarter is also home to some of the most affordable and delicious meals in Manchester. You could easily spend a day just soaking up the atmosphere and people-watching in Manchester's Northern Quarter.

Manchester's Northern Quarter is a vibrant and exciting place to visit

If you are looking for something different and a place to shine, then Affleck's Palace is the cream of Manchester's alternative scene. We know that our customers love things that are unique and beautiful, which is why we had to share our love of Affleck's Palace with you all.

When you think of silver screen sirens of the 1940's, more often than not your mind will trip over sultry beauty, perfect eyebrows, lipstick that never seems to smudge, and perhaps an uncanny knack for making cigarettes look sexier than a dog eared Pall Mall has any right to look. They were lauded for their beauty and leading roles, and their popularity determined by their ability to ‘play the game’ with studio bosses, the media and the ever-fickle public eye.

Women gracing the screen were expected to look pretty and offset the raffish charm of their leading men, and yet many iconic actresses from the era have fascinating back stories that weren’t granted the column inches guaranteed by a sex scandal, a celebrity marriage or the glitterati rumour mill. Jayne Mansfield is a case in point – the blonde bombshell commonly touted as a ‘working man’s Marilyn Monroe’ saw mainstream success in the 1950's due to her impressive chest-waist-hip measurements and breathy, baby-voiced roles; and yet was purported to have had an IQ of 163, as well as having spoken five languages.

The trend continues today – with celebrity gossip rags gleefully reciting the academic achievements of actresses such as Emma Watson and Natalie Portman – as though the possession of a great set of cheekbones automatically means that their owner has the mental faculties of a breezeblock.

My favourite of these closet intellectuals is Austrian-American actress Hedy Lamarr. Hedy is an interesting character on so many levels. She is stunningly beautiful, she has a fantastic name (Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler), she made ballsy career choices, and she happens to have been the inventor of a form of radio guidance technology still used today.

Born in 1914 in Vienna, Hedy was beginning to make a name for herself over in Europe before Hollywood ever got to grips with her. She was the leading lady in a scandalous 1933 German film called Ecstasy, which made headlines due to the fact that Hedy spends a large proportion of the film running around naked – and – potentially – was the first non-pornographic film to depict the female orgasm. She ran away from her husband shortly afterwards and hid out in Paris, where she met MGM boss Louis B Meyer, himself scouting Europe for new talent - who, I imagine, lit a cigar and told her that he’d make her a star.

Hedy’s film career in America was illustrious, with starring roles opposite Clark Gable, James Stewart, Spencer Tracy and Charles Boyer. She starred in Samson and Delilah and was labelled “the most beautiful woman in Europe” by director Max Reinhardt.

However, the reason that I am such a huge fan of hers isn’t just because she shrugged off controversy to act in films such as Ecstasy, or that she is the type of person to flee her husband and set up in the bohemian enclaves of Paris of the 1930's – but because simmering away underneath her beauty was a formidable brain capable of inventing technology that has made modern day advancements such as WiFi even possible.

At the beginning of World War II, Hedy implemented a radio guidance system to be used for Allied torpedoes. It utilised frequency hopping and spread spectrum technology – more on that here – and, although it wasn’t used during the wartime effort, the US Navy rediscovered her invention during the 1960's Cuban Missile Crisis and incorporated it into their repertoire. The advances that she made are still used today; in WiFi, CDMA, and Bluetooth technology.

Throughout her acting career, Hedy was typically cast as the exotic seductress, and would often slink across the screen like a cat, but have very few lines. She reportedly felt unchallenged by acting, and started inventing as a means of relieving her boredom. She invented a new and improved traffic light, and a tablet that dissolved in water to make a fizzy drink. The tablet idea flopped and apparently tasted terrible. She also had two babies during the course of her Hollywood hey-day, which solidifies her in my mind as some kind of Wonder Woman.

Her torpedo radio guidance system idea was artistically inspired by piano rolls, and although it showed signs of promise at the time, the military weren’t keen to take on ideas by civilians during the war. It was only later that the Navy adopted her ideas.

Her later story is just as fascinating. She professed to have made – and spent – thirty million dollars over the course of her career. She was arrested for shoplifting twice, the charges being dropped on both occasions. Andy Warhol made a short film about her in 1966 – called Hedy – and her autobiography was reviled by a judge as “filthy, nauseating and revolting.” She later sued the ghost writer for fabricating anecdotes – however I’d love to think that some of them were true – namely that when fleeing her husband in the 1930's, she hid out in a Paris brothel, having sex with a customer to avoid detection. She later allegedly hired a maid who strongly resembled her, and drugged the maid, stealing her uniform in order to escape in disguise.

Hedy combines intrigue, exoticism, intellect and a devil-may-care attitude that makes her, for me, one of the most compelling characters of Old Hollywood.

For as long as I can remember the fashion for bras has been focused around a full and rounded shape with plenty of uplift. Underwiring, padding and keeping your breasts hoisted high has been the order of the day since I got my first training bra. In the 1970s (and earlier) a pointier silhouette was favoured, rather than strapping their breasts up to their sternum women would favour a bra that placed them at the top of the ribcage. It's only us retro and vintage aficionados who have always known the appeal of a pointier cup, in our belovedbullet bras and vintage lingerie. However, things are set to change. A pointier breast is soon to become widely spread, and is already rather in vogue. In fact, anyone with any style know-how has already ditched the full padded rounded bras that we should have left in the 90s and is falling firmly in love with balconettes, bullet bras and bralettes. In fact, anything with minimal padding is the coveted look.

It is argued that young women have long favoured a more rounded cup as it adds a touch of maturity, while older women feel they are losing a little uplift and fullness and so also tend to opt for something with padding and a bit of lift. However, when you think about it, younger breasts tend to be more conical. A well-padded rounded bosom can often look a little matronly! Opting for a more natural look or even enhancing the conical aspect, could give a much more youthful and beguiling effect.

A pointier breast shape looks more youthful

Enter the bullet bra

Women who lovecorsetry, burlesque and the seduction associated with lingerie are rarely drawn to overtly natural styles. However, the natural conical shape of the breast when exaggerated and enhanced with a little theatre is the concept behind the bullet bra. This 1950s style offers a great silhouette and is dripping in sex appeal, whether worn as bedroom apparel or underneath your clothes. To make the most of the slinky silhouette you might like to wear your bullet bra with a waist cincher to really emphasize your curves. For steamy nights in then a seductive matchinggarter beltis a hot choice.

There is a softness to a rounded cup that is almost apologetic. The pointed shape has a haughty tilt to it, unapologetically feminine and with a coquettish focus on the nipple. With the whole 'free the nipple' movement and a strong message across the board that it is the female nipple that exudes sexuality rather than the breast itself, it makes sense to pull the attention down to the peak of the breast if you are looking to enhance your sensuality.

Audrey Tautou is the ultimate French beauty with an appealing and natural silhouette

Doing it French style

In France, women never lost sight of the appeal of a pointier breast and have long worn their bras with a more natural and conical shape. French women are vigilant about avoiding back fat, so keep their back straps loose and often opt for bras without padding. French bras will tend to have wider back straps to avoid the issue of potential back fat bulges, very much in the style of a bullet bra. Many French women will even omit a bra altogether.

Vintage lovers will only need to catch a glimpse of a sexy satin bullet bra before they start thinking about the iconic curves ofMarilyn Monroe. Her voluptuous curves were unforgettable, yet the shape of the breasts was certainly more conical than round. The bullet bra doesn't just create an enviable silhouette that whispers of vintage sophistication and a deep-rooted sensuality. Thebullet bra is also immensely comfortable as it provides a great deal of support, it covers the whole breast which means there are no unsightly bulges creeping over the top of the cup, the wide back strap eliminates any hint of back fat and the meticulous design and structure means your posture is immediately improved, no-one can slouch in a bullet bra they are far too uplifting for that!

To really show off your new pointy breast shape then slip a clingy sweater over the top and make like Marilyn.

Marilyn is the perfect example of the appeal of a more conical bra shape

As the trend for a more conical and natural breast shape grows, we want to lead the way with a far more dramatic, theatrical and show stopping interpretation. Vintage lovers don't follow fashion fads, we lead the way and when it comes to bullet bras it's the breasts that are at the front of the game.

White shirts are a key look for spring/summer 2016. However, if you want to add a touch of sensuality and glamour to this classic look then combining it with an underbust corset is the sure fire way to look sexy while bang on trend. Here are our tips for how to pull off the perfect fashion combo:

Keep the shirt fitted and streamlined

(Extra fabric will be difficult to conceal and may ruin the line of your corset, keep things tailored and trim to create the perfect silhouette).

Ensure the hemline isn't too short

(If there is enough length in the shirt you can loosely layer the corset over the shirt, tug down on the shirt's hemline and once everything is smooth, you can tighten up the corset).

Leave the fastenings that are on show open

(This look works best if your shirt is left unbuttoned to the corset, however you may like to fasten the hidden buttons to ensure that the shirt stays together).

Make sure your shirt is brilliant white

(The key feature of this look is in the striking whiteness of the shirt. Keep it immaculate and take a bit of care when washing it to ensure that it remains pearly white).

Team it with streamlined jeans or trousers

(This look is all about creating a beautiful silhouette so you need to be sure that your whole outfit fits to perfection. To gain more fashion points opt for blue jeans or black trousers, just make sure that they are tapered and fit well on the bum to give enviable curves).

Add a splash of colour

(A great way to tie the whole look together is to mirror a colour from the corset in your shoes, and perhaps even your hair. A great example of this is in our Long Skulls & Roses Steel Boned Corset Cincher. The scarlet tones of the roses in the corset are echoed by the killer heels, red lipstick and floral hair decoration that our model is wearing).

(Black is the perfect contrast to a pristine white shirt so think about trying this look with a black corset or one in a monochrome print. Our Long Black and White Corset Cincher is perfect for this. Wear with slim black trousers and monochrome heels for a striking look).

(This look works well with a tailored jacket in tweed, wool or leather. It also looks good with a sweeping fitted trench coat for added drama. Don't just think about outerwear though. Make sure that your brief or thong matches the corset so that you have the perfect underwear too).

(Matching shoes are one thing but to really make an impact you could push the boat out on the accessories. Why not try a corset belt such as our Black Taffeta Corset Belt with Pockets. You could also wear a jaunty pillar box hat, fascinator or mini top hat for extra style points. This look needs to be worn with heels, so be sure to pick something that fits in with the sexy vibe of this look and not just the colour scheme. Finish the look off with a handbag that mirrors the colour palette of the outfit).

Shirts are set to big one of the hottest women's fashion trends of 2016. The catwalks from Milan to Paris, London to New York all recognised the versatility of the classic white shirt.

At Anthony Vaccarello the reinvented white shirt revealed a seductive glimpse of flesh and a tie waist, it was worn with stonewashed boyfriend jeans and plenty of attitude.

Amanda Wakeley opted for a more laissez-faire effect with a slouchy cross-over shirt complete with trailing hemlines. Worn with loose suit trousers, this look added a fluid femininity to a masculine source of inspiration.

At Fendi the shirt featured ¾ length puff sleeves and a princess neckline. Tucked into high-waisted mocha coloured hareem pants, this look gave a cheeky nod to the power dressing of the 80s but benefitted from a beautiful lack of structure and rigidity.

Vera Wang showcased her oversized white shirts by wearing them with just the first couple of buttons fastened, and teaming them with high-waisted black hot pants and peep toe platform ankle boots in black stretch fabric. There was a touch of Mia Wallis to the blunt fringes and poker-straight black locks of the models, and I imagine that the infamous dance scene from Pulp Fiction featured on the mood board for this design.

Jenny Packham opted for a tie front white blouse, teamed with a vast dense black maxi skirt. Phillip Lim favoured high necklines and ruffles in his Victoriana themed interpretation of the white shirt.

Another huge fashion for spring/summer 2016 is wearing underwear as outerwear. Balenciaga, Alexander Wang, Pucci, Calvin Klein, Céline and Givenchy all chose to send their models up the runways in lingerie inspired daywear.

A great way to embrace the white shirt craze but make it entirely your own is to wear a white shirt with an underbust corset. Of course, by doing this you are also totting up extra style point by expressing the current trend for underwear as outerwear.

The great thing about this look is that it is unspeakably hot right now, yet the underbust corset isn't limited to this look. Of course it will more than hold its own in the bedroom, worn alone with a thong and stockings or teamed with a bra.

It can also be worn over a delicate camisole, or gossamer vest top or even to add intrigue to a fitted dress. The white shirt can also be reinvented in other ways. Worn with jeans or a mini skirt, tied at the waist over a corset dress. Thrown over a full corset if you are feeling a little exposed. The white shirt can also be the perfect bridge from work to party. It can look demure in the office when worn buttoned up to the neck and concealing your corset, wear with a pencil skirt for a smart chic look. Then all you need to do is remove your shirt, let your hair down, add a pop of colour to your lips and you are ready to party. Cotton shirts are perfect for this as they can fold up small and fit into a decent-sized handbag. The possibilities are endless.